Angel Song Marilla's first album of original material. All tracks were recorded live by Ryan Tews in St Brigid's Church, Crossley, all in single takes, in March 2014. Mixed and Mastered by Sunny Kelley Produced by Marilla Homes Cover design by Marilla Homes and Jeanie Hague-Smith Photography by Marilla Homes (Copyrighted) Ceramic angel by Ursula Dutkiewicz 1. I stand before you © Marilla Homes, 30th April 2013 Written while walking from Docklands to North Melbourne, inspired by a dream I had. I stand before you Heart whole Heart once broken Now restored You come with armour Wounded and in fear What will it take? What will draw you near? In innocence and honesty I can see your pain What will it take For you to trust again? I can see your beauty, Despite the armour strong Hiding deep inside And I trust it won’t be long Til you stand before me Heart whole Heart once broken Now restored 2. Haylee’s Lullaby © Words - Marilla Homes 2007 © Music - Marilla Homes and Marty Kelly 2007 I was commissioned to write this song to commemorate the all too brief life of a baby. So for all those who have been touched by the loss of a child, may this bring you a little peace. On the 27th of February, the year two thousand and seven, Born at your Nanna’s house on your way to heaven. I bore you only 25 weeks, I wish it had been much more, But you were so impatient you arrived in the early morn. (Haylee) My precious daughter, Haylee (Haylee) With your feet so small and dear, (Haylee) You are in my heart forever, In my dreams I hold you near. We rushed you off to the Royal Women’s on Grattan Street. I saw your gorgeous dark brown hair, and your tiny wrinkled feet. On the outside you were perfect, such a tiny, precious girl, We were torn when they told us your body was so unwell. That day and night we cried and cried, but we had to let you go. You are with the angels now and all the babes in heaven, I know. My name is Kellie McBrien, your father’s name is Tom, Your Nanna Lyn, she held you too, before too soon you were gone. (Haylee) My precious little Haylee (Haylee) Jesus holds you in his arms (Haylee) You have new wings in heaven Where the angels now you charm. In my dreams I hold you near, my love. I will never let you go. I think of all I planned to do, as I watched you grow. The fun we would have had together, the memories we’d share, These may be with others soon, but you know I will always care. (Haylee) I love you precious Haylee (Haylee) So beautiful and small (Haylee) Your dark brown hair and sea green eyes, We love you, one and all. 3. Cricket Duet © Marilla Homes 2014 There was a cricket in the church while we were trying to record, and we couldn’t get rid of it, so I decided to make it welcome and sing with it. It finally went to sleep about 3 am and we were able to record the rest of the songs :) 4. That Lazy Wind © Marilla Homes 2012 After the Cygnet Folk Festival in January 2012, I was walking on the freezing cold beach on Bruny Island off the east coast of Tasmania and this song mostly dropped into my head. I finally finished it in time to sing at a gig the following October at the Clifton Hill Hotel. That lazy wind it blows right through me That lazy wind howling through my heart That lazy wind it won’t go round me It’s tearing me apart It leaves me with shivers but not like the ones You gave me the last ti me I saw you It leaves me as numb as I felt as I lay So still on the ground there before you. Too long it has been since I lay with a man With love on his mind not debauchery And the wind stings my eyes nearly leaving me blind From the tears it rips from my body. That lazy wind it leaves me lonely That lazy wind chills me to the bone That lazy wind it leaves me trembling Clearing out my soul. I stand on the beach looking out at the sea The waves keep rolling towards me I think of the times I forgot to eat As the hunger gnaws at my body. Thoughtless and free by the edge of the sea The daylight is fading to green. And I ponder the clouds and the rainbow it shrouds As the birds chatter on all around me. That lazy wind it blows right through me That lazy wind howling through my heart That lazy wind blows out the cobwebs Fresh for a new start. 5. Song to the Magpies © Marilla Homes 2014 As with the crickets during our second recording session, the magpies were singing with me during the first. So this improvisation is for them, and with them :) 6. Nature’s Majesty © Marilla Homes 11:11am, 9th January 2013 On a train from the Blue Mountains to Central (Sydney) during some serious bush fires, and extreme weather. Such majesty and power in nature To inspire awe and terror turn about. The gentle, warming hearth of home providing light and warmth and food. The light of a thousand candles held in silence, stillness and reflection. Refuse and waste burned to ash or fuel turned into power. Then comes one hot summer’s day, with high temperatures and high winds. No longer the complacent country, cars are packed and homes are deserted. All it takes is some bright spark from a fool or a lightning strike. Then comes the raging inferno, or the slow relentless crawl of flames lasting for days or weeks on end. The anger, frustration, adrenaline and grief. The powerlessness, fatigue and rage of the helpless against the brainless beast of destruction. With no one to blame, the hurt seek to hurt, the blameless feel guilty as sin. The recovery starts, the trees regrow, the scars are covered with layers of hope. Once again the faceless enemy returns to being a useful tool. For warmth on a cold winter’s night, the roasting of marshmellows and the singing of songs around a campfire are welcome reflections of the awe and majesty and joy in nature. 7. Keep © Marilla Homes 23:05pm 9th Jan 2013 The Studio, Wingello NSW I was reflecting on the paradox of fire, while sitting in a straw bale studio in the middle of the bush, in a fire prone area, with no electricity and only candles for light. A candle in the window to light the way home. Keep the home fires burning Keep the candles well alight Keep the home fires burning And keep your smile shining bright Keep the joys and not the sorrows Keep the lover, not the pain Keep the hope of new tomorrows And keep the lesson not the shame. Share the tears and the laughter Share the ups and downs as well Share the joy forever after The fear of loneliness to quell Make the most of every moment Make the best of every day Make your life a true exponent Of peace and love along the way 8. Settler’s Wife © Marilla Homes 23:36pm Wed 9th January 2013 The Studio, Wingello Written on the same day as Keep and Nature’s Majesty, this is a tribute to all the pioneering women of Australia, including my grandmothers and their grandmothers, who were strong enough to raise families and eke out existence, often while the menfolk went away to work, and who just put their heads down and got on with it. Percussion: Ryan Tews Pain and sorrow trouble and strife All just part of a settler’s life Weave and spin in the dust and tin Spare a thought for the settler’s wife Hey ho for the settler’s life Hey ho for the settler’s wife Clear the scrub and till the land See the callous on the settler’s hands She cooks for four and she eats for two She doesn’t get much with the settler’s band Hey ho for the settler’s hands Hey ho for the settler’s band Shearing sheep will break your back Pass it on to the settler’s Jack Keeping house while the settler’s out Wond’ring if he will ever come back Hey ho for the settler's Jack Hey ho will he ever come back? Going to the bank after fire and flood A bullet through the skull of the settler’s stud Sifting through the ash and the dust and mud All but covered in the settler’s blood Hey ho for the settler’s stud Hey ho for the settler’s blood Pain and sorrow trouble and strife All just part of a settler’s life Weave and spin in the dust and tin Spare a thought for the settler’s wife 9. The Last Camel Cop © Marilla Homes 3rd November, 2012 At the 2012 Maldon Folk Festival I entered my first song writing competition and only had two songs to offer. I wrote this poem in an attempt to have an extra song to sing the next morning. It didn’t make it to song, but I did read it at the Poets’ Breakfast instead. In the desert a child runs barefoot through the mosque Yet is sent home from school to put his shoes back on. Surrounded by date palms and dust, this oasis called Marree Was home to the policeman and his young family. His name was Maxwell Frank Homes. He was my grandfather And he was the last of the Camel Cops He worked with the blacktracker to keep law in the land, They travelled by camel all over the sand For miles and miles in the dust and the heat, The policeman with the thirty thousand square mile beat. They avoided the whispers of the bush telegraph By taking a route that was not on the map, While Mickey the blacktracker sang the songlines As he walked over country he said “Never was mine” They caught the rustlers all unawares As they sat at their ease in the old rocking chairs And sent them to Adelaide to rot in the jail, While Tom Kruse the mailman delivered the mail. His name was Maxwell Frank Homes. He was my grandfather And he was the last of the Camel Cops He was an amateur wrestler, and they say in his day The best card magician not performing for pay. Born the son of the Deputy Commissioner, He always remained a faithful Christian parishioner. He filmed the drovers in the dust and the mud As they swam cattle across the Coopers in flood. He climbed Uluru without chains or white lines With only the faithful Mickey as his guide. He left his wife Nita at home for weeks at a time, But their four sons grew up strong, and fine To raise kids of their own, with stories to tell me Of the days when they reached up to pat the camel’s belly. His name was Maxwell Frank Homes. He was my grandfather And he was the last of the Camel Cops. 10. Blessed be © Marilla Homes 2013 The first version of this song was sung on a beach south of Cobargo following the Cobargo Folk Festival 2013. There are many alternative verses. Blessed be the sea Blessed be the sky Blessed be the wind Blessed be the rain Blessed be the sun Blessed be the stars Blessed be the night Blessed be the dark Blessed be the day Blessed be the light 11. Pray for me legs © Marilla Homes 2012 I was a volunteer firefighter with the Greenvale CFA for over 10 years. We dealt with many, many car accidents. (MVA = Motor Vehicle Accident). This is my memory of one of them. For all the fireys and emergency services personnel - thank you! Pager goes off again Code 1 MVA Possible person trapped Struggle into clothes Wipe the sleep from your eyes Drive into the sunrise To the fire truck Slam on the brakes Park the car Grab the gear from the boot Shoes off. Overalls on. Left boot. Right boot. Grab turnout coat and helmet Check for gloves and clamber aboard Sirens wailing, lights flashing People shouting Another crash on Somerton Road A ute. A car. Fire trucks. Ambulance. Police. SES. Traffic control. Disconnect the battery Hold the IV Two on the hoses Old man driver looking up at me. Pray for me legs, he says Pray for me legs I can’t feel me legs, Would you pray for me legs? Make up still on from the night before Panda eyes under the yellow helmet “God, you’re beautiful” he says. “Pray for me legs” Two off in ambulances Medi chopper lands in the field Hold the IV as we put him aboard Off into the sky as I pray for his legs Pray for me legs, he says Pray for me legs I can’t feel me legs, Would you pray for me legs? It’s many years later So how are his legs? Can he feel them again? Can he walk? What happens to the people we help? We never hear after we get back on the truck All I can do is pray for his legs Pray for me legs, he says Pray for me legs I can’t feel me legs, Would you pray for me legs? 12. Angel Song © Marilla Homes 2014 There were so many improvisations to choose from! I really felt like I was singing with the angels in this space, so all of them are Angel Songs. This is the one that got the name and made it on to the album. To the many angels who have touched my life, may this honour you and your gifts. 13. Muscat Woman © Words - Marilla Homes & Ushonah Hutchings © Music - Marilla Homes 5th July 2013 Ushonah and I wrote this around the fire in my Brunswick back yard, drinking muscat and roasting pieces of camembert on rosemary sticks, while I started to muck about on a borrowed bouzouki for the first time. Lots of fun :) The coals are red the sky is clear I’m being fed sweet camembert Muscat woman with the flowing hair Muscat woman in the peacock chair Eyes of mischief and a heart of gold Hands so warm they will melt your soul Muscat woman with the flowing hair Muscat woman in the peacock chair What are you going to say? What are you going to do? Where will you be when she calls for you? Muscat woman with the flowing hair Strumming her bouzouki in the peacock chair Bring your guitar and your fiddle too That Muscat woman will have her way with you Muscat woman with the flowing hair Muscat woman in the peacock chair 14. Celebration © Marilla Homes 2014 This is literally the last recording we did before heading back to Melbourne. A truly joy filled expression of the feeling of accomplishment. Thank you, all of you. Enjoy.